What is it about men and young men singing in worship? So many times, it seems that our young men are slouching in worship both literally and figuratively. And then these same men don’t seem to outgrow this phase. As a pastor, I have had grown men look me in the eye and say, “I don’t sing.” It is like I was asking them to paint their toenails pink.
My response was this: “Singing is a duty. And it is a delight.”
The following are some thoughts prompted by Bob Kauflin’s article of over 10 years ago. The sentences below, between quotation marks, are from his writings.
Why do real men sing?
1. Singing is commanded by God.
“There are almost fifty direct commands to sing in Scripture, as well as four hundred references to singing. Two of those passages (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16) instruct us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God and to one another. These aren’t suggestions, preferences, or good ideas. They’re commands. Which means God intends for us to obey them.”
What God commands, he expects. What he expects, he enables. What he enables is the abundant life.
2. Singing is more a matter of our hearts and than our voices.
The fruit of being filled with the Spirit and the Word is singing. A lack of singing indicated a lack of being filled. Therefore, singing to the Lord and to one another is both a duty and a fruit. This means that when I don’t feel like singing, I still should sing. But I also can, and should, ask the Spirit for help.
3. Singing expresses, engages, (and I would add) shapes our emotions.
“In every culture, music is a language of emotion that helps express what we feel.” “Singing can help us feel the truth more deeply.” I would add to both of those points that singing also shapes our emotions. Through it, we are reminded of the majestic and important. Or, negatively, music can help provoke us to sin.
4. Singing reflects God (and pleases God).
Our God is a singing God (Zeph. 3:17). Jesus sang to his Father (Matt. 26:30, Heb. 2:12). The Spirit who commands us also enables us to obey. When we obey him and become like him, we are pleasing to him.
5. Singing is warfare and witness.
In 2 Chronicles 20, the Israelites win the war by worshiping! Is this perhaps why Paul is singing in the Philippian jail? Singing godly songs fights against evil in our souls and in the heavenly realms. Singing helps defeat discouragement. It is an encouragement to those around us. This is not even to mention how worship helps in spiritual warfare with the devil.
6. Singing helps us remember.
That which we sing, we can remember. How many Christmas sermons can you remember? How many Christmas songs (carols)? And the jingles from the commercials in your childhood? Point made.
7. Singing is actually manly.
Here is a key to the battle. Somehow, society sends us the message that real men don’t sing. But Scripture shows otherwise. King David, the warrior king, wrote poetry and sang to the Lord. And who can forget the scene of the dwarves singing in The Hobbit as they contemplate going to war. In that moment, they are singing to remember their history and to gain inspiration for the fight. Singing and masculinity do go together.
So, as men, let’s repent of not singing. Let’s not limit singing to corporate worship. Let’s fill our homes with worship. And let’s cast a vision to our sons of singing to the Lord as a fruit of a Spirit-filled, Word-filled, gospel-filled life.
